Page 35 of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love

‘Religion for the lowly masses,’ said Sidney. ‘Servants. Regular folk.’

As they watched, a couple of giggling serving girls burst from another doorway and crossed the courtyard, glancing back over their shoulders and talking in exaggerated whispers before opening the door of the chapel and ducking inside.

‘No time like the present,’ Arthur said, leading them on.

‘We are definitely going to hell,’ Gabriel said in Gwen’s ear, as Arthur opened the chapel door, cocked an eyebrow and beckoned them inside.

It looked entirely unremarkable – rows of neat pews, that particular smell of tapestry dust and candle wax and wood in the air that Gwen recognised from every religious building she’d ever entered – but at the far end up by the altar a door was ajar, and candlelight was flickering in the space beyond. They followed it into a narrow corridor and down stone steps until they reached another door; on the other side, Gwen could hear voices and laughter.

‘I’m not sure this is such a …’ she started, but it was too late. Arthur herded Sidney and Agnes inside ahead of him, and then looked back at where she was hovering and rolled his eyes.

‘And you were so excited about the part where you got to fetch your cloak,’ he said, taking her firmly by the arm and yanking her inside.

They immediately encountered a problem.

‘Before you enter, I must tell you – there are no men allowed in here,’ said a grey-haired, stern-looking woman in a dark robe. ‘Are any of you men?’

‘We’re very well-behaved men,’ Arthur offered. ‘Normal. Innocent.’ Gwen snorted.

‘I don’t care what variety of man you are,’ the woman said. ‘We are here to celebrate the Lady Morgan le Fay – it’s a sacred space on Morgan’s Day.’

‘Ah,’ said Sidney. ‘Well. Agnes, shall we … ?’

‘Oh,’ said Agnes. ‘Well, I sort of want to … stay. If that’s all right.’ Sidney looked disappointed, but rallied quickly.

‘I shall wait for you outside,’ he said gallantly.

Agnes giggled horrifyingly, but Gwen was toopreoccupied to scoff – she was looking around at the room. She had expected a cellar about the size of the chapel above, but the space was cavernous, with pillars and arches running along the length of it and at least a hundred people gathered in hooded groups beneath them. The entire space was lit by a large open fire in the very centre, the smoke disappearing up into a hidden chimney. Beyond the flames, somewhat warped and rippling in the heat, Gwen could see a huge, mottled stone statue. It towered above them, gazing down dispassionately with both hands raised.

‘Are you coming?’ Gabriel asked, nudging her arm.

‘Er,’ Gwen said. ‘Gabe. Are you seeing this? This – this is some sort of secret cultisttemple. In the castle grounds.’

‘I know,’ Gabriel said, not looking nearly as horrified as he should have. ‘It’sfascinating.’

‘Come on,’ Arthur said insistently. ‘Let’s go.’

‘I think – I think I’d like to stay,’ said Gwen. Having braced herself for life-affirming adventure, she didn’t want to turn back now; and besides, it was only a very little escapade, barely even deserving of the word.

‘Oh,’ said Gabriel. ‘All right. If they do the ritual, can you make a note of everything? I want to hear about it later, especially the part where they—’

‘Christ,’ Arthur said. ‘Even she didn’t bring parchment and a quill to aparty. Come on, you insufferable academic.’

Gwen just had time to see the expression of shock on her brother’s face before he was being pulled back through the doorway they had just come through. Arthur did seem tospend rather a lot of time yanking them both around.Like an ill wind, thought Gwen.Or a rip tide.

‘Is that her? Morgana?’ Gwen said, pointing up at the enormous statue.

‘Yes,’ said the grey-haired lady. ‘Now, hurry on in – the ceremony is about to begin.’

It appeared that Sidney was perfectly serious about waiting for Agnes all night, if he had to; as soon as they exited the chapel he located a promising stretch of wall and settled himself down on it.

‘Look at that,’ Arthur said to Gabriel. ‘Sad, isn’t it.’

‘There are quite a few things I could say right now,’ Sidney said. ‘Quite a few stories I could tell, about the lengths you’ve gone to whilepining—’

‘Yes, well, I’m very pleased for you,’ Arthur said quickly. ‘Adieu, good evening, have a lovely wait, and I hope she’s worth it.’

‘She will be,’ Sidney said, grinning.